Bidwell. He’s the one they were to take the drives to. I believe we can count Frank out of helping us return things to normal.”
“As in Jason Bidwell, former senator, financier, and big time trader in carbon offsets?” Gus rattled the facts off with a low whistle and small shake of his head. “We’re going to need a bigger boat.”
“We?” Nick exchanged smiles with Gus. “You signing on for the duration or something, Gus? I figured to transfer some funds and you’d be on your way like always.”
“I think I have a chance to finally get even with you, brother.”
“If you mean Jamaica, we’ve been square a long time.” Nick’s smile diminished into a tight-lipped grimace. “What the hell makes you think I have you on the pad for Jamaica? Those two runs off the keys, when no one else in the world would have anything to do with me, evened us up just fine.”
“Those were cake-walks.” Gus waved Nick off with some annoyance. “My brother’s a doctor now up in Boston because of Jamaica. You need me on this, just like I needed you back then. Burning Jason Bidwell will bring all kinds of hell down on you, Nick. I like your new family here, if you haven’t scared them off with that stunt today.”
“Stunt? Well, maybe it was a little creative, but -” Nick started.
Gus cut him off. “Without me, your ass would’ve been hanging out in the breeze.”
“Which is why I brought you into the Florida part of this,” Nick reasoned. “I didn’t turn your offer down. For the first time, I don’t know where this shit ends. Bidwell’s just the newest addition to a growing list of guys we can’t run from. If word gets out you’re in this with me, no one you ever knew will be safe, Gus.”
“We’ll just have to be careful then, won’t we, Boss?” Gus stuck out his hand. “Don’t worry, it’s going to cost you a nice tidy sum I ain’t decided on yet.”
“If we pull this off, my friend, you’ll be able to retire in style.” Nick shook Gus’s hand. “Best think it over tonight before throwing in with us.”
“Hey, what are friends for, right Rachel?”
“That’s right, Gus,” Rachel nodded her head happily. “I’m glad you’re staying.”
Nick shook his head. “Would this be a good time to tell you those two folks in the Lexus were friends of mine too?”
Deke ran full out to the fence after the bouncing softball. Gus ran toward second base to help Jean who waited halfway to the fence for Deke to bring the ball back. Rachel streaked around second base, while Nick moved from first base to cover home plate. Deke dodged Jean and faked Gus off his feet to one knee. When Deke reached Nick, he dropped the ball with Rachel still ten feet from home plate. Rachel squealed and barreled into Nick, who had grabbed up the ball and moved to block her. They went down in a heap as Gus and Jean ran up to umpire the action. Deke poked his nose into the squirming, two-player pile. Suddenly, Nick’s right arm shot up from under Rachel with the softball in his hand.
“Yoooooooouuuuuuuuu'rrrrrrrrreeeeee out!” Gus and Jean yelled in chorus to Rachel.
Rachel sat up on Nick with an outraged look, red faced and panting.
“No fair!!! I scored before he tagged me.”
“Oh waaahhhhh. Get off me you big baby… you are so out.” Nick used the softball to bop Rachel in the forehead, which set Gus and Jean off on a laughing jag.
Rachel went for Nick’s throat, forgetting about the ever vigilant Deke. Rachel’s left forearm ended up in Deke’s mouth, while the dog stared her down with a growl.
“Damn it, Deke! I had my first homerun, you ungrateful cur!” Rachel complained, disengaging herself from Nick and the dog. “Now I have slobber all over my arm and forehead, and I’m out. Thanks a lot.”
Deke barked. He plopped down on his paws next to Nick.
“Nick, your dog never hits the cutoff man.” Gus knelt next to Deke and stroked his head.
“Deke is the star. He doesn’t need no stinking cutoff man, right Deke?” Nick received a short grunt of acknowledgment from the dog.
“He slimes the ball anyway,” Jean added.
“Put a fork in me, I’m done,” Nick stated, lying back over home plate.
“I’m taking off too.” Gus stood up. “Will you require a new vehicle to check out the bank tomorrow, Ace?”
“Only for a short time,” Nick answered, sitting up. “I want to see if Santora goes to work tomorrow. I’ll go alone. I don’t want anyone to even get a glimpse of Rachel.”
“What about the flash drives?” Rachel kicked Nick’s leg, while keeping an eye out for Deke.
“I’ve already compressed all the content,” Nick answered, slapping Rachel’s foot away and standing up. “They’re all ready to send over to Suzan’s husband. Then we’ll hang around and wait for his input. If it matches or enhances what I gleaned from the drives, we’ll call Grace and put her in touch with Suzan. They’ll have plenty of bargaining power. Suzan and Jim will have to handle their own deal with the government.”
“Can we go swimming again, Nick?” Jean asked.
“Absolutely.”
“I’ll leave you to it then.” Gus handed the glove he had been using to Rachel. “See you all tomorrow.”
“Bye, Gus,” the three chorused in varying tones as he walked away.
“I need a beer,” Nick announced as he picked up their equipment bag and began stuffing it with balls.
“What happened to your iced tea craze?” Rachel took charge of the bat.
“It turned into a beer craze the moment I had to endure ninety degree heat and humidity.”
“Can I have a beer too, Nick?” Jean asked as they walked with Deke toward the parking lot. “Deke always gets one.”
“Sure, Danger.”
“Nick!” Rachel pushed him off balance.
Nick shrugged at Jean with his ‘I’m not in charge’ look.
“Well, how about a shot of Jack Daniels?”
“Jean!” Rachel ran after her giggling daughter with Deke nipping Rachel’s heels.
Nick watched his team of terminators for a moment before shaking his head and walking after them.
Nick and Rachel watched Jean practice swimming laps from the lounge chairs they had set in the shade of the building that housed the bathrooms for the condo pool area. Nick had packed a cooler for their sojourn to the pool. Deke lay next to his water dish, sleeping in the shade between the lounge chairs.
“It looks like Danger finally wore out Deke today.”
“Maybe, but I don’t trust that dog.” Rachel noted Deke’s head didn’t pop up at his name. “We have the whole pool to ourselves this afternoon.”
Nick glanced at his watch. “It’s nearly six. Everyone else is probably eating by now.”
“I heard you talking to Suzan.”
“I gave her the domain address on the internet where she could access the information off the drives I uploaded. She said her husband Jim would go over the information right away. I’ll call her tonight after we get something to eat and see what he thinks.”
“It may be dangerous for you to go over to the bank tomorrow. What if Frank sent more people? They’ll be looking for you this time instead of me.”
“I figure I have a day before Frank figures something’s happened to Kate and Jessops.”
“I’m sorry you had to -” Rachel began, having heard Nick call the woman he’d killed by name for the first time.
“Don’t.” Nick cut her off with a quick wave of his hand. “Kate made an error in judgment. It cost her. They would have killed you, Jean, and Deke without blinking an eye. If the name she gave me pans out with Jim Benoit, there will be lots of pond scum floating to the surface. Bidwell would have a few layers between him and this mess. The sooner we put the Benoits together with Grace and Tim the better. Some of the heat on us will most definitely cool once the rats start scurrying for cover.”
“And then what?”
“We go rat hunting.”
